Radio Interferometry

Annotated Diagram
How Radio Interferometry Works
Single Dish
A single radio telescope receives radio signals and
transfers it into data to be processed. The
instrument can move around some axis to have a
‘range’ of angles for detection

Multiple Dishes
Multiple radio telescopes are arranged in an array and
receive the same signals. The delay between the time
each telescope receives the signal is used to calculate
the distance of the celestial object. When more dishes
are used in the array, the clearer the image becomes.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Benefits Disadvantages

- Can be used to measure astronomical - Signal can be disrupted by earth-based

phenomena emitting a wide range of radio pollution
wavelengths of light (1cm-100m) - Very expensive and takes time to build
- Produces clear, detailed images
- Can be used to produce the net effect of a
large radio telescope with diameter equal
to the distance between the farthest
telescopes in the array
Very Large Array in New Mexico, USA